Yooper Rocketman

Ok Hank. You twisted my arm. 3.5 hours from the U.P. Of Michigan to Spruce Creek, FL (just south of Daytona Beach). We were supposed to leave with the Mooney Rocket on Friday, but my 1900 hour alternator went TU as we were going out for an IPC Thursday afternoon. I've flown 8 approaches in the last 8 weeks, but was looking to work on partial panel. Anyway, neither plane was ready for the trip as of Thursday night. A new ADAHRS arrived Friday morning for the Lancair at the same time the Rocket alternator showed. By Noon both planes were ready but decided I wanted to leave early enough to land in daylight so delayed until today. Flew the Lancair Friday afternoon and felt it was ready for a REAL trip. It was my wife's first flight but she loves it now! Only picked up 25 knots tailwind but was well over 300 knots the whole way. Tom https://flightaware.com/live/flight/N994PT/history/20170204/1300Z/KIMT/7FL6

You need to move to the tropical section of the U.P.(KIMT) I've logged over 60 hours in the last 6 weeks, almost all VFR. None in your direction though. Always see overcast that way. Now that I am out of test phase, taking a real trip tomorrow. Tom

GREAT DECISION!!! Always make the decision that's gives you the best and safest outcome. You demonstrated a great "mentoring moment" for our younger/newer pilots!! Tom

Peevee, Are you sure you don't have a line running to your gauge that shows tank pressure even with the valve closed? I thought we found a leak in my line to the gauge that leaked even when the tank valve was shut off. I could be wrong? Tom

It's a simple bolt in design with two hose connections. It's been a while since I've been under the seat so I can't say I remember if access is from there or under the plane through an access panel. The one I installed in the Lancair is in a terrible location to change and I still don't think it would take me over a an hour to change it. Tom

No. Just gets airflow from ram air effect.

Thanks for posting this Don. I flew with Cleon for a mountain flying course back in the 90's. He was my sister's primary and IFR instructor when she lived in Longmont. I was extremely impressed with him and he is the only flight instructor I ever flew with that, during the last leg back in to Longmont, asked ME how I thought he did as an instructor. A true gentleman and terrific flight instructor. I will have to forward this info to my sister, as she is living in N.C. now and I am sure has no idea Cleon has left us. Tom

You could install it at either end of the cable, in the cockpit at the control linkage (under the upholstery) or at the rear by the O2 tank. If you use a light spring, there is no issue. With the over center action on both ends of the cable, the spring will never move the cable on it's own unless you have selected one with too much tension. Tom

Oh man, If you ever get a chance I would really appreciate a current picture of it. Tom

Although a go around is rare for me, I have still done them, one within the last year (in my Mooney, got several in the Lancair). Hank's advice is dead on. I have made zero opinions on the negative side when I see a pilot elect to go around. It clearly demonstrates good decision making by the guy behind the yoke. Tom

and a Packer Fan!

That was 15 years ago but I believe it had older King radios and a Loran. No GPS. I bought it from Bill Bain out of Falcon Field (Mesa, AZ) on April Fools Day 1996 with 1900 hours SMOH and got 2400 hours exactly before replacing the engine. The N number was his birthday 9/29 and PG was for papa & grandma. Sold it and delivered it to a doctor based at Griffin GA with 800 hours on a Factory Reman in 2001 when I bought the Rocket. I've checked many times over the years on Flight Aware and thought it ended up in South America. Is it still tan and brown? Tom

Another option is to install a spring to aid the cable when "pushing" because, as Don notes" the inner cable is too small/flimsy when pushing with the resistance of valve. When the cable "pulls" the extra resistance of the spring is easily overcome. I did that on mine and it has worked great ever since (6-7 years ago). Definately check "all" connections for leaks, not just at the valve. I had a leak on one of the small copper lines after servicing the O2 tank. Tom

The N number derives from a couple things. I had N929PG as my first Mooney, and loved the way "niner" rolls off the tongue (cool sounding). I bought the kit in 1999, my daughter graduated HS in 99, and the last two of my SSN are 99. The 4PT is what the plane is, a 4 place, pressurized, turbine, and the very abbreviation all my Lancair friends use in refering to the plane. It is also conveniently the shorter number I use once communication is established with any ATC facility. Where you at in "Northern Michigan"? It's kind of funny, but no one but a true Michigander knows the difference between a Yooper and a Northern Michigander. Most find it hard to believe a Yooper is farther north than a Northern Michigander. Of course, the air is thinner up here so that accounts for some of our craziness. Tom

Way too funny. I noticed that when posting it too. My engine guy/test pilot was looking at the sharp edge on the glare shield one morning before we took off and commented " if we auger this thing in, that cutting edge on the glare shield will kill us before anything else does, actually it'll guillotine us". Thus came the fuel line mod! Yes, it's temporary. Will get a much more appealing look with the final upholstery job. Tom

I'm off to a good year. With the headwind trip back from Florida and flight testing the Lancair, I already have almost 20 hours in this year (will be over that before today is done). I will fly 2 hours this AM to finish off my 40 hour test time in the Lancair, and will take my building partner and best friend for his first flight in the plane he must have close to 1,000 hours helping build (no passengers allowed during Phase One Testing). Here is the only picture I managed to take yesterday. I had the power pulled back to a measly 27.5 gallons an hour going into the wind, seeing 135 knots GS, and pushed it up to cruise power going down wind (winds howling pretty good out of the west yesterday). I just couldn't resist seeing what she would do with a tailwind. I heard center calling me out as VFR traffic (verified by my ADS-B too). I have to wonder what he thought seeing me at 133 knots west bound and almost 400 knots east bound? Tom

I have been using Isopropyl since I bought my Rocket in 2001. Just the garden variety I buy in a 5 gallon container from a paint store. The only time I didn't during the winter, flying in the flight levels, in really cold winter weather, I froze water crystals in my fuel spider. That was a really fun trip, descended almost 10,000' before it started running normal again. Tom

Beautiful interior work. Where is that shop located? Do they do Lancairs? On another issue I am really CONFUSED. You're a college professor, heritage from Russia, and you talk like a Canadian or a Yooper? What's with that? Eh..... Tom

My first Mooney was an "F", so I can relate. That said, I can't resist the temptation to share what I did on Friday, December 30th with my turbocharged Rocket. http://flightaware.com/live/flight/N1017L/history/20161230/1430Z/KIMT/7FL6 The funniest comment I received when I got back home for our EAA Chapter Christmas Party this past Saturday evening was from a fellow Mooniac who lamented "and that was in his SLOW plane". The Lancair will do that with no wind. Oh.....you're not far from my Spruce Creek home so I AM offering you a ride in the Rocket. PM me your contact info and we can meet up some time. Maybe you will be it's next Rocket owner!! Tom

Sorry. I am in Florida until Saturday. I will check when I get back. Tom

I had a "20 Group" Meeting in Baltimore maybe 10-15 years ago (20 truck dealers share best dealership practices for quality and profit margins 3 times a year). The moderator insisted on crabs on a pier for dinner one night. One of the DP's ( dealer principals) ordered a steak about an hour into that venture as he was going to starve if he didn't order some real food. I rarely leave a crab dinner "stuffed ". I usually cry uncle on shucking shells before I am full. Tom

Learned to fly one of the fastest SEL propjets every built, after 8,000 + hours and almost 18 years building it. But I still LOVE my Mooney. Tom

That's why you don't fly jet engines down low. You go up to 28k and the speed goes up and the fuel burn goes down. This plane will get the same MPG as my Mooney but be going 100+ knots faster and pressurized. Tom

The E model in the far corner has almost every speed mod available on it. He cruises at 155 knots on 8 - 8.5 gallons an hour. Might be coming up for sale? But then the drivers license medical might actually get another pilot active again. Tom

My mistake. They are AeroLED's Tom